Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various conditions due to unclear etiology and need for further development, including potential exposure to hazardous chemicals while stationed at Fort McClellan, Alabama.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for thoracolumbar spine disability, neck disability, right arm nerve disability, and pseudofolliculitis barbae due to insufficient medical evidence. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to conflicting statements about an in-service injury and a need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and opinions.

The Board has determined that the current OSA is not directly related to service-connected TMJ dysfunction and requires further examination and opinion regarding its etiology.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petitions to reopen her claims for service connection for endometriosis and irritable bowel syndrome. The remaining issues of service connection for a cervical spine condition, bilateral upper extremity nerve condition, and their secondary relationship are remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for cervical spine disorder, right knee disorder, bilateral hip disorder, and associated lumbar radiculopathy are remanded due to insufficient development of evidence. The AOJ is instructed to search for missing service records and provide a new opinion from an appropriate clinician regarding the onset and causation of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury, degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, and migraine headaches have been granted. The claim for a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection of a cervical spine disability due to inadequate examination and insufficient reasoning regarding the nature and etiology of the condition, as well as whether it is secondary to his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's neck condition, including whether it is related to service or aggravated by Gulf War exposures. The examiner must consider all applicable deployments and toxic exposure risk activities.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbosacral spine, cervical spine, left knee, and right knee disabilities have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disability and a left shoulder disability, finding no evidence of in-service injury or chronic condition.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability on a presumptive basis due to chronicity during active duty. The neck disability claim is remanded for further examination and determination of its etiology.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for residuals of fracture of the 7th cervical vertebrae and radiculopathy, left upper extremity is denied.,There is no evidence showing that a disability increase occurred within one year prior to March 12, 2018.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA medical examination and needs a new one with additional considerations.

The Board has found the VA examination inadequate and remanded for a new opinion. The Veteran's cervical spine disorder is currently being reviewed to determine if it is related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to missing service medical records and difficulty in notifying the Veteran of examination dates.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been granted. The right knee strain, left knee strain, lumbar strain, cervical strain, laryngopharyngeal reflux disease (LPRD), and sleep apnea are all rated at the 10% level. The anterior palatoplasty and uvuloplasty scar claim is denied.

The Board denied service connection for right knee, lumbar spine, cervical spine, and bilateral hip disorders due to a lack of evidence showing the conditions were incurred or aggravated during active duty.,Service connection was not granted as secondary to a right knee disorder.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of an injury to the right-hand ulnar nerve distribution with CTS resulted in moderate incomplete paralysis of the median nerve, warranting a 50% rating. Service connection for cervical radiculopathy was denied as it is not related to his service-connected condition.

The Board has denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for service connection of his right ankle disability and has remanded the issue of increased ratings for his neck disability.